


To Truly Love (There is More Than One Way)

by NamelesslyNightlock



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: But she's totally awesome anyway, Episode Tag, Episode: s02e10 Sweet Dreams, Fix-It, Gwen is not Arthur's True Love, M/M, Pre-Slash, True Love's Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-18
Packaged: 2018-06-03 00:39:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6589663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelesslyNightlock/pseuds/NamelesslyNightlock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin must dispel the enchantment forcing Arthur to love the Lady Vivian before it’s too late, but to do so he must find the person that the Prince truly loves. </p><p>This proves much more difficult than Merlin had originally thought.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Truly Love (There is More Than One Way)

> _Why, it is the greatest force of all: love. You must find the person Arthur truly loves. One kiss from them will break the enchantment, and he will desire Vivian no more._

Merlin stared desperately as Gwen shook her head, horrified that she wouldn’t help him. The last part of the tournament would be starting in minutes, and as distracted as he was Arthur didn’t stand a chance.

Arthur was going to die, and Gwen was too stubborn to swallow her pride and save his life.

“Merlin I can’t,” Gwen pleaded, and Merlin immediately felt a pang of guilt for his earlier thoughts. “It’s not just the enchantment; Arthur and I haven’t been working since long before Olaf and Vivian came to Camelot."

“It’s just because you’re a servant and he’s a prince,” Merlin insisted. “If that didn’t matter—“

“But it _does_ matter,” Gwen said firmly.

“But when Arthur becomes king, he could change things!” _He could change a lot of things,_ Merlin couldn’t help thinking.

But he shook the thoughts from his mind as quickly as they had formed; Arthur wouldn’t be able to do anything if he died today.

“Look, Merlin,” Gwen said softly, placing a hand on his arm. “I know how you feel about this— and I don’t want Arthur to die, I could never, but it just won’t work. We’ve hardly spoken in weeks – those flowers were the first contact outside of my duties that we’ve had since I was captured by Hengist, and—“

“Lancelot,” Merlin whispered, closing his eyes.

Gwen sighed. “Arthur and I had a couple of days, Merlin,” she said, sounding tired and sad. “A couple of days where we shared a house and he tried to be kind, and it was inevitable that we would feel something after that. But outside that setting, there wasn’t anything holding us together.”

“But when you were kidnapped—“

“Arthur has never been in love before, he wouldn’t know the difference.” Gwen swiped an errant lock of hair from her face and stepped away from Merlin. “He reacted the way he did because he didn’t know any better, and yes, I do know that he cares for me. But it’s not love. If he loved me _truly_ , we would have had more than one single conversation since that incident.”

“Then how do I save him?” Merlin’s voice broke, and a tear trickled down Gwen’s cheek.

“I may not be able to break this spell,” Gwen said, wiping the tear away with the back of her hand and giving Merlin a small, watery smile. “But someone else can. You said that Arthur has to truly love this person?”

Merlin nodded.

“Well, there is more than one way to love, Merlin. And I am not the only one for whom Arthur has defied orders and risked his life.”

—x— 

Merlin had helped Arthur don his armour on too many occasions to be able to count, but this time it was different. This time, Arthur was gushing about the Lady Vivian’s beauty and how he was fighting in the name of their future together. This time there were no jokes about Merlin’s incompetence or about the coldness of his hands.

And this time could very well be the last.

After he had left Gwen’s house he didn’t know where else to go, who else to ask. Gwen had refused to say any more and the dragon wouldn’t help further, Merlin knew that.

He’d thought on Gwen’s words and he believed he’d worked out what she’d meant. Despite his faults and the recent strains on their relationship Arthur did truly love his father, and Merlin had entertained the idea that Uther could break the spell.

But ensuring his participation would involve telling him of the enchantment, and that would result in war whether the spell was broken or not. No, it would be better for Merlin to help Arthur win the fight with subtle magic, for then there was a chance that even in his addled state Arthur would do the right thing and let Olaf live.

A slim chance, yes, but a chance nonetheless.

But since telling Uther was out of the question and Gwen was adamant that her kiss would not work – and the fact that she refused to even _try_ for Arthur’s sake made Merlin think that she was probably right – Merlin had no way of breaking the enchantment.

His fingers skimmed across the leather and metal with agonising proficiency, and Merlin wished he could drag this out, allow himself a couple more moments before Arthur went off to die.

“How do you feel?” he asked in what he hoped was a jovial tone, but he knew he just sounded broken.

Arthur didn’t seem to notice. “I feel _great_ ,” he exclaimed, turning and clapping Merlin hard on the shoulder, the metal edge of his gauntlet pressing into the bone. “I am going to win this fight for my lady, and we will be happy together.”

“Arthur-“

“Are you happy, Merlin?” Arthur asked suddenly, a crease appearing between his eyebrows despite the grin on his lips. It was an odd look, and Merlin frowned.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, I am going to be happy after this – I am happy, in fact, happier than I have been in a long while. But you’ve seemed out of sorts the last day or so.”

“I didn’t think you’d noticed,” Merlin said quietly. His traitorous fingers clinched shut the last buckle, and Merlin reluctantly moved away to retrieve Arthur’s sword from the bench. 

“I always notice.”

Arthur’s voice was odd, and Merlin spun around to see him looking very confused. Of course, it wasn’t something that Arthur would usually say – the love spell must have loosened his emotions entirely, rather than just those towards the Lady Vivian. But despite this knowledge Merlin couldn’t help the rush of elation that coursed through his body as Arthur confirmed what Merlin had always known deep down. That Arthur really did care just as Merlin did himself, and—

 _There is more than one way to love someone_.

Merlin paused. Could Gwen have meant…

Arthur was still staring at Merlin with that odd expression on his face, the one that screamed how he was so desperately happy with his love for Vivian yet worried for his servant. For his friend.

Merlin quickly listed all the reasons why this was a bad idea. For one, even if it worked Arthur may never forgive him. And for two-

No, wait. That was the only reason. And honestly, if it saved Arthur’s life, Merlin could manage with a few extra chores.

Knowing that in all seriousness he didn’t really have anything to lose if this went wrong, Merlin took Arthur’s sword and moved toward him once more. The act of buckling the sword to the belt always brought Merlin in close, and it was easier than anything to lean in and press his lips to Arthur’s for but a moment. 

The second it was done Merlin sprang back, expecting a curse or a swinging fist. Instead, Arthur stood frozen for a moment, and then he frowned.

“Merlin, what…?” The frown was soon wiped clean, and face blank he touched the tips of his fingers to his lips before staring at Merlin in disbelief. “Did you just kiss me?”

“No?” Merlin’s denial was not even mildly convincing to his own ears, and Arthur only raised an eyebrow. “I mean, yes— well—“ Deciding to cut his loses, Merlin shook his head, crossed his fingers and asked; “Just curious – how exactly do you feel about the Lady Vivian?”

“The Lady Vivian?” Arthur scrunched up his face in disgust before he froze in horror. “Oh no, no, what did I—“

“Oh thank the Gods!” Merlin exclaimed, beaming. “It worked!”

Arthur took a step back in worry. “What are you—?"

“You’re you again!” Merlin, grinning and eyes shining brightly stepped back up to Arthur and couldn’t help but throw his arms around him, uncaring of the hard armour. All the stress and fear from the past few hours had crashed together and the relief was nearly enough to bring him to his knees.

Arthur didn’t pull away, but he didn’t return the embrace, either. He patted Merlin awkwardly on the back for a moment, before gently stepping back.

“Merlin,” he said, still frowning. “Do you mind telling me what’s going on? What am I— Oh gods, what am I doing?”

Suddenly serious, Merlin picked up Arthur’s sword from where it had fallen to the ground and held it out to him. “You’re in a fight of honour,” he said solemnly. “A fight to the death. And you’re losing.”

Arthur’s face crumpled as he clearly remembered what had happened, and he stared at Merlin with vulnerable eyes. It was strange seeing Arthur so bare, but Merlin knew there was only one thing to do now.

“It’s not your fault that this is happening,” he said firmly, pushing one of Arthur’s limp arms out of the way so he could finally place the sword in its rightful place. “You were enchanted. But you can’t get out of the fight now, you’ll have to see it through.”

“If I kill Olaf, there will be war,” Arthur said emotionlessly.

“And if he kills you, there will also be war.” Merlin took a step back and caught Arthur’s eye. “If he beats you, he will kill you. That is why you’re going to have to win, because you’re strong enough to make a different choice.”

Arthur’s face hardened with sudden determination, and he gave Merlin a nod.

Glad, Merlin held out his hand. “Go and win that fight. Go and win it for all of us.”

Arthur glanced at Merlin’s hand before shaking his head, and in a second Merlin found himself wrapped in mail-covered arms. He shuddered at the strangeness of it but found he didn’t really mind – this was different from when Merlin had hugged Arthur only moments before, because this time Arthur held him just as tightly.

“Thank you, Merlin,” Arthur muttered into his shoulder, his voice hoarse. “I understand what you did, so _thank you_ , and I— I’ll win it for _you_.”

Before Merlin could say something — _I’m here to serve - where would you be without me, prat? - you always make a mess of everything - I’d do anything you needed without a moment’s thought_ — Arthur was gone, leaving behind only a slight soreness in Merlin’s arms and a fluttering flap of cloth at the entrance to the tent. 

It was a few moments before Merlin felt ready to follow him, but the roar of the crowd eventually drew him from the tent. Now that Arthur was undistracted by Vivian Merlin knew there was little to fear; although his cracked rib might cause worry, Arthur was the better swordsman by far.

The difference in Arthur was almost tangible; his attacks were executed with less pretty flourishes and more power, and his defence was impenetrable. And yet there was a moment when the prince glanced away from his opponent, breaking the cardinal rule of battle to glance at the crowd. But his eyes didn’t stray to the blonde girl sitting amoungst the nobles; instead he looked across to the low fence on the other side of the arena, and his gaze stopped to rest on Merlin. 

Their eyes locked only for a moment, but it was enough for Merlin to know that something had shifted between them. There had always been something there, buried down deep, but now it was crackling at the surface and Merlin knew that things weren’t ever going to be the same.

But rather than making him nervous, the thought gave him hope for the future.

And as he watched Arthur hold out a hand and pull King Olaf up from the dirty ground, Merlin couldn’t help but smile.

**Author's Note:**

> Story elements and Kilgharrah's words at the start (though I did alter one of them) are taken from Season 2 Episode 10: Sweet Dreams.


End file.
